The National Council for Technical, Vocational and Other Awards Act, 2001

25 THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL, VOCATIONAL AND OTHER AWARDS ACT, 2001 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Sections PART I—PRELIMINARY ENACTED by the President and Members of Parliament in this present Parliament assembled. PART I—PRELIMINARY [Margin: Interpretation.]

"Council" means the National Council for Technical, Vocational and other Academic Awards established by section 2; "Institute of Education" means the Institute of Education set up on 1st July, 1968 as an arm of the University of Sierra Leone. "member" means member of the Council; "Minister" means the Minister responsible for education. PART II — ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCIL [Margin: Establishment of National Council for Technical, Vocational and other Academic Awards.]

(1) There is hereby established a body to be known as National Council for Technical, Vocational and other Academic Awards. (2) The Council shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession, a common seal, and capable of acquiring, holding, and disposing of any property, whether movable or immovable, and of suing and being sued in its corporate name and, subject to this Act, of performing all such acts as bodies corporate may by law perform. [Margin: Composition of Council.]

(a) a Chairman, who shall be a person of wide academic and administrative experience; and (b) the following members:— No. 10 The National Council for Technical, Vocational and Other Awards Act 2001 29 (i) two representatives of the Council of heads of the technical and vocational institutions; (ii) four representatives each of Fourah Bay College and Njala University College respectively; (iii) three representatives of each of the five polytechnic institutions listed in the Schedule; (iv) three representatives of the Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture; (v) The Director-General of Education; (vi) a representative of the Professional Engineers Registration Council; (vii) a representative of the National Agricultural Coordination Council; and (viii) a representative of the Ministry responsible for labour; and (ix) four representatives each of four relevant bodies as the Minister shall determine, two of whom shall be women. (2) The Chairman or any other member of the Council who is not a public officer shall be appointed by the Minister from among persons who are not under any legal disability from holding public office and shall serve for a period of three years but any such appointment may be renewed as and when necessary. (3) The Chairman or any member referred to in subsection (2) may resign his office by written notice to the Minister and may be removed from office by the Minister for inability to discharge the functions of his office, whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause, or for misconduct to which the provisions of section 137 of the Constitution shall, with the necessary modifications, apply. 30 No. 10 The National Council for Technical, Vocational and Other Awards Act 2001 (4) No member shall hold office under more than one provision in subsection (l) and where at any time a member becomes the holder of two offices on the Council, he shall notify one of the institutions which he represents for another person to be nominated for appointment in his stead. [Margin: Remuneration of Chairman and other members of Council.]

[Margin: Filling of vacancies.]

(1) Where the Chairman or a member of the Council dies, resigns, is removed from office or is absent from Sierra Leone for a continuous period exceeding three months or is by reason of illness unable to perform the functions of his office– (a) the members of the Commission shall elect one of their number to act as Chairman until such time as the Chairman resumes his office or another is appointed in his stead; and (b) in the case of the member, the Chairman shall arrange, subject to this Act, to have another person, appointed, elected or nomiated to the Commission, as the case may be. (2) Where a person is elected as Chairman or appointed as a member to fill a vacancy, he shall hold office for the remainder of the term of the previous Chairman or member and shall, subject to this Act, be eligible for re-appointment, re-election of re-nomination, as the case may be. [Margin: Meetings.]

(1) The Council shall meet for the dispatch of business at such time and place as the Chairman may decide but shall meet at least once every six months. (2) The Chairman shall, at the request in writing of not less than eight members of the Council, call an extraordinary meeting of the Council at such time and place as he may determine. No. 10 The National Council for Technical, Vocational and Other Awards Act 2001 31 (3) The Chairman shall preside at every meeting of the Council and in his absence the members present shall elect one of their number to preside. (4) The quorum at a meeting of the Council shall be eight. (5) All questions proposed at a meeting of the Council shall be decided by a majority of the votes of the members present and voting, and where the votes are equal the Chairman or the person presiding shall have a casting vote. (6) The Council may at any time co-opt any person to act as an adviser at its meeting but the person shall not be entitled to vote on any matter for decision by the Council. (7) Subject to this section, the Council shall regulate the procedure at its meetings. PART III—FUNCTIONS OF COUNCIL [Margin: Functions of Council.]

(1) The object for which the Council is established is to provide validation and certification services for award in certain specialized and professional programmes in tertiary education institutions. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), it shall be the responsibility of the Council to— (a) provide examination and validation services at the following levels:— (i) Teachers' Certificate; (ii) Higher Teachers' Certificate; (iii) Certificate in Technical Studies; (iv) Ordinary Technical Diploma; 32 No. 10 The National Council for Technical, Vocational and Other Awards Act 2001 (v) Ordinary National Diploma; (vi) Higher Technical Diploma; (vii) Higher National Diploma; and (viii) any other relevant qualifications. (b) provide national and international validation service for tertiary education institutions; (c) provide accreditation for institutions at which courses for awards validated by the Council are offered; (d) ensure that the awards of the Council enjoy parity of esteem with similar awards made by other institutions throughout the world; (f) employ, in its services, nationally recognized standard of competence defined by industry and the professions within specified occupational fields; and (g) to do all such things as will contribute to the attainment of its object stated in subsection (1). [Margin: Powers of Council.]

The Council shall have power to set its own examinations for technical and vocational awards up to the Higher National Diploma level but the award of Bachelor in Education (B.Ed.) and other degrees instituted by polytechnics shall receive certification and validation through a University in Sierra Leone. [Margin: Independence of Council.]

In the performance of its functions under this Act, the Council shall not be subject to the control or direction of any person or authority. [Margin: Council to appoint committees.]

(1) The Council may appoint committees consisting of members or non-members or both to exercise, or advise the Council on, any of its functions under this Act. No. 10 The National Council for Technical, Vocational and Other Awards Act 2001 33 (2) The members of a committee appointed under subsection (l) shall be paid such allowances as may be determined by the Council. PART IV—ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS [Margin: Director.]

(1) The Council shall have an officer with the designation of Director, appointed by the Council upon such terms and conditions as the Council shall determine. (2) The Director shall be responsible to the Council for— (a) the day-to-day administration of the Council; (b) the recording of minutes of meetings of the Council; (c) overseeing the work and discipline of the other employees of the Council; and (d) performing such other duties imposed on him by this Act or as the Council may direct. [Margin: Other staff of Council.]

(1) There shall be appointed by the Council such other employees as the Council may require for the efficient discharge of its functions under this Act. (2) Public officers may be seconded or otherwise give assistance to the Council. [Margin: Funds of Council.]

(a) monies appropriated by Parliament for the purposes of the Council; (b fees charged for the services of the Council. including examination fees; 34 No. 10 The National Council for Technical, Vocational and Other Awards Act 2001 (c) gifts or donations from any person or organization, whether local or external; and (d) any monies otherwise accruing to the Council in the course of its activities. [Margin: Transfer of assets to Council.]

(1) There is hereby transferred to the Council, without more, the property and other assets of the Institute of Education which shall cease to exist in that name upon the coming into force of this Act. [Margin: Accounts.]

(1) The Council shall keep proper books of accounts and proper records in relation to the accounts and shall prepare within a period of three months after the end of each financial year, a statement of its accounts in such form as the Auditor-General may direct. (2) The books and accounts of the Council shall each year be audited by the Auditor-General or an auditor appointed by him and a report on the audit shall be submitted to the Council. [Margin: Annual report.]

(1) The Minister shall table before Parliament within six months after the end of each financial year a report on the activities and operations of the Council during the preceding year. (2) The report of the Council referred to in subsection (1), shall include a copy of the audited accounts of the Council together with the Auditor-General's report on it. [Margin: Regulations.]

No. 10 The National Council for Technical, Vocational and Other Awards Act 2001 35 SCHEDULE (Section 3 (b) (iii)) (LIST OF POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTIONS) 1. Milton Margai College of Education and Technology 2. Freetown Polytechnic 3. Eastern Polytechnic 4. Makeni Polytechnic 5. Port Loko Polytechnic PASSED in Parliament this 14th day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand and one. J. A. CARPENTER, Clerk of Parliament. THIS PRINTED IMPRESSION has been carefully compared by me with the Bill which has passed Parliament and found by me to be a true and correctly printed copy of the said Bill. J. A. CARPENTER, Clerk of Parliament.